Project Description

2015/05

Faith

“This is his commandment that we should
 believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ”
1 John 3:23

Receiving necessarily supposes giving. God has given his only begotten Son and whosoever believes on Him “should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Saving faith believes on Him, as God gifts and offers Him in the gospel. He is offered as the free gift of God “without money and without price” (Isaiah 55:1). The natural propensity in man’s heart is to offer something or do something to better himself to receive the Saviour, the thought being that this will ‘qualify’ him to come to Christ. Faith, in its justifying act, is not a working grace – “to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Rom.4:5). Faith can only come with an empty hand to receive Christ. It is like the beggar’s hand outstretched and open to take the alms, without working for them.

As Christ is offered freely so He is offered fully. He is not only to be embraced as Priest in fulfilling the law, satisfying justice and appeasing wrath; but also as Prophet to instruct; and as King to exercise His rule. The redeemed soul says: ‘I must have Him as my Prophet, my Priest and my King. I must have Him wholly to fully meet the needs of my ignorant, guilty, rebellious heart.’ Excellent as the grace of faith is, it embraces a more excellent and precious Christ. While without faith it is impossible to please God, it is the object of our faith, Jesus Christ, which renders us acceptable unto God.

Remember that trusting Christ presupposes knowledge of Him. There is in fact a twofold knowledge that faith implies – knowledge of ourselves and knowledge of Christ. The law must be our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ for without knowledge of our sin we will never believe on Him who is “the end of the law for righteousness” (Romans10:4). If we have no knowledge and conviction of our lost condition by the law, then there is no concern of heart about either our sin or the judgement that awaits us. With this knowledge of ourselves we must see in Christ the remedy that God provides for us.

Faith that is of a saving nature cannot venture on anything other than the authority of God himself. A right knowledge of Christ is only had in the light of the word and Spirit. When the truth of this revelation concerning Him is assented to as the only remedy for the sickness and misery of the soul, faith receives Him in response to the call and offer of the gospel. We are saved by faith alone in Christ alone, but saving faith is never alone. James says: “I will show thee my faith by my works” (2:18). In a word, the whole of gospel obedience is the obedience of faith, and the obedience that does not flow from faith is but dead works, which can never be acceptable to God.

Rev Leslie Curran.